Written Answers Friday 6 May 2005

Scottish Executive

Health

Dr Jean Turner (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce an integrated clinical pharmacy service to ensure the safe, clinical and cost-effective use of medicines in order to reduce the 15% of admissions to hospitals resulting from adverse effects from medicines.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Right Medicine: A Strategy for Pharmaceutical Care in Scotland outlines the ways in which the Scottish Executive, the NHS and the pharmacy profession will work across the clinical and organisational boundaries to ensure that medicines are used both safely and effectively. This is being taken forward through the redesign of the hospital pharmacy service and the introduction of a new community pharmacy contract.

  Copies of the strategy are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 18835).

Life Long Learning

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available for employers in respect of provision for learning English as a second language.

Mr Jim Wallace: The majority of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) provision in Scotland, as elsewhere, is learner-centred. However, we recognise the benefits to employers of a highly skilled and flexible workforce, which includes fluent communication skills and improving English language skills where appropriate. There are a number of examples of provision which is closely linked to specific employers or sectors, such as work shadowing and "into work" programmes.

  Recent research on ESOL provision in Scotland, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, highlighted the merits of such close working between ESOL practitioners, employers and others. The research notes examples of successful schemes involving colleges, the Enterprise Networks, local authorities, Jobcentre Plus, and racial equality councils, and including funding from a number of sources, such as local enterprise companies, European Structural Funds and the Scottish Executive.

  A forthcoming consultation paper will set out a draft ESOL strategy for Scotland. Implicit in the paper’s vision and principles will be the need for provision which supports learners into, and within, the workplace.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crisis centres there are for people with mental illness, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) provider.

Rhona Brankin: Local authorities and NHS boards working with their partners are responsible for designing, providing and supporting mental health crisis services. Comprehensive information on the number of crisis centres by area and provider is not available centrally but will be held by individual local authorities and NHS boards.

  The Scottish Executive is supporting pilot projects across Scotland for different models of crisis prevention, support, evaluation and project management. Over £576,000 has been made available since 2004 to support these initiatives.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of consultation has taken place with service users on the service provision requirements under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: As part of the joint local implementation process for the 2003 act all local areas have been asked to involve their local partners in planning services this should include local service users.

  The Scottish Executive has undertaken some specific consultation with services users in relation to the development of child and adolescent health services through HeadsUpScotland, and through commissioning Penumbra to consult with service users and their carers on the Child Health Support Group’s recommendation for psychiatric in-patient services for children and young people. In addition, the Scottish Recovery Network, supported by the Scottish Executive, assists local authorities and their agency partners to promote well-being and social development as a key component of people’s recovery from mental ill-health.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to joint implementation planning groups regarding the selection process for service providers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has issued no guidance to joint implementation planning groups regarding the selection process for service providers under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

  All public bodies and local authorities are under a duty of Best Value in planning and delivering services.

NHS Equipment

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it has in place for replacing CT scanners.

Mr Andy Kerr: The replacement of medical equipment, including CT scanners, is a matter for NHS boards. Capital is distributed to NHS boards by Arbuthnott Formula adjusted for cross boundary flows and weighted for the provision of regional specialities. This means that NHS boards can determine, based on their local knowledge or the local needs of the local area how this money should be spent.

  Record levels of capital funding are being made available to NHSScotland with £426 million, £458 million and £532 million being provided in 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively. Within the capital provision available over this period, £125 million has been specifically identified for the purchase/replacement of medical and diagnostic equipment. £40 million has been made available in the current year with a further £40 million and £45 million distributed in 2006-07 and 2007-08 respectively.

Prison Service

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-283 by Cathy Jamieson on 4 June 2003, what issues might arise in designating the operator of HM Prison Kilmarnock as a public authority under section 5 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, given its position that such designation would not constitute prison legislation altering the costs incurred by the contractor.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Before deciding whether it would be appropriate to make such a designation, it would be necessary to consult every person to whom the order relates (or persons appearing to represent such persons). Issues would become apparent at that stage.